Internal combustion engine



Oct. 20, 1936.

R. LEE

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE s Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Fil ed Feb. 16, 1955' INVENTOR Foyer /f. Aee.

Oct.2( ),1 936. R -K LEE v 2,058,242

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Feb. 16, 1953 3 Sheet-Sheet 2 4 INVENTORi ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 20, 1936. R, K LEE 2,058,242

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE I Q Original Filed Feb. 16, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 2 lill 144 .4

age) Klee.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 20,1936

mural) sr 'ATENT OFFICE Chrysler Corporation,

ration of Delaware Detroit, Mich., a. corpo Original application February 16, 1933, Serial No. 657,146. Divided and this application June 30, 1934, Serial No. 733,199

26 Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and refers more particularly to improvements in engine valve operating mechanisms. 7

This application is adivision of my co-pending application Serial No. 657,146, filed February 16, 1933.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved valve operating mechanism which may be successfully operated at speeds materially higher than the usual speeds of conventional engines, used for driving motor vehicles, for example. While my improvements are not necessarily limited in their application to such high speed engines or to engines for driving motor vehicles, they are particularly adapted to such applications.

My invention is particularly related to internal combustion engines of the type having their cylinders arranged radially about the crankshaft; also to radial engines of the positive valve operating type.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved valve operating means for radial engines wherein the timing of the valve operations Will be maintained with improved precision, thereby resulting in greater engine efliciency, smoother engine operation, and adaptability to relatively high engine speeds.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved valve operating means especially adapted for radial engines wherein a plurality of valve operating shafts are cooperatively associated with each other and simultaneously driven in a novel manner from the engine.

An additional object of my invention resides in the provision of improved means for drivlng the valve shafts wherein the crankshaft drives the valve shafts but the crankshaft and valve drivlng mechanism are free to deflect relatively to each other. This feature of my invention provides improvements especially in connection with en:- gines having cantilever crank pins, my invention making it possible to utilize a crank pin of this type to drive the valve operating mechanism without influence from crank pin deflections.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide, especially in a radial engine, valve operation mechanism having a relatively low frictional resistance to operation; to provide a valving mechanism wherein cooperating valve shafts drive each valve in a positive manner and wherein the valve shafts rotate in the same direction to minimize discrepancies in the valve timing; to provide an improved arrangement of cam driven valve operating arms especially adapted for a radial engine, the arms being readily assembled or disassembled with respect to the operating cams; and to provide an improved valve operating mechanism conveniently located for operation from the engine crankshaft but separated from the crankcase to minimize oil travel from the valving mechanism to the engine cylinders. V

Further objects and advantages of 'my invention will be more apparent from'the' following detailed description of one illustrative embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which; I

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view longitudinally through my engine, the section being taken along the. line l-I of Fig. I

Fig. 2 isa detail sectional View illustrating my i5 connecting rod and crank pin assembly, the section being taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a further detail sectional View of the assembly shown in Fig.2, the section being taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational view take-n along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the drive from the crankshaft forv operating the. valve shafts.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional plan view taken along the line 5-4 of Fig. 6. i 25 Fig.. 6 is a side elevational view of the engine illustrated in Fig.1 but on a reduced scale, parts of the cylinders and valve shaft receiving chamber being broken away to illustrate the valve operating mechanisms respectively operatively asso- 0 ciated therewith.

Fig. '7 is a sectionalplan view looking, down on one of the engine cylinders with the cylinder head cover removed, the section being taken along the line 1-1 ofFig. 6. V p

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view showinga modified form of valve and operating mechanism therefor.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 8, the section being taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8. i

Referring to the drawings, it will be noted that I have illustrated my improvements in an internal combustion engine of the three-cylinder 45 radial type, the engine including a fixed crankcase I G and radially disposed cylinders l'l secured in equiangular relation on said crankcase. The cylinders ll may have any desired suitable construction, the novel cylinder structure illustrated in the! drawings not forming a part of the subjectmatter claimed in this application.

As illustrated in the drawings, each of the cylinders ll may be formed of an inner sleeve I 2 and an outer sleeve 53 maintained in concentric and spaced relation by a base member i4 and a top member or cylinder head l5, these members being suitably bonded to the sleeves. The base members I4 may be provided with flanges l6 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 by which the cylinders may be secured to the crank-case by means of bolts I l. The spaced concentric sleeves l2 and 13 provide water-jacket spaces along the cylinder walls, these jacket spaces communicating through ports [9 with water-jacket spaces 20 provided in the top members I5. In the present illustrated embodiment of my invention, the upper surfaces of the top members [5 are square relative to the cylinder in a longitudinal direction as viewed in Fig. 1 but slightly inclined relative to the cylinders in a transverse direction as indicated in Fig. 6.

Each cylinder is provided with a cylinder head cover 2| in which are formed Water-jacket spaces 22 communicating with the spaces 20 in the top members l5. Referring also to Fig. '7, bolts 23 are provided for securing the cylinder head cov ers 2i to the top members l5, a suitable gasket 24 being disposed between'each top member and associated cylinder head cover. A spark plug 25 seen in Fig. 7 is provided in each of the cylinder heads 15.

Slidable within the inner sleeve 12 which constitutes the cylinder wall of each cylinder is a piston 26 which may be of any suitable construction and which does not in itself constitute a part of my invention as claimed in this application. The main portion of the connecting rod is indicated at 21 and may be tubular in form for lightness in weight, an annular bearing member 28 being permanently secured to the tubular rod portion 21, the bearing member being adapted to engage the crank pin of the engine.

The crankcase I0 comprises a substantially cylindrical body member 29 and end members 30 and BI. The parts of the crankcase are preferably aluminum or similar light weight metal or alloy castings and the body member 29 is cored as indicated at 32 for the reception of the cylinder sleeve l2 and as indicated at 33 in Figs. 5 and 6 for the accommodation of the pairs of cam actuated valve operating arms which will be presently described in detail. The end member 30 of the crankcase is substantially bell-shaped and centrally apertured at the smaller end thereof for the reception of a crankshaft 34. This crankshaft is journaled in ball and race types of bearings 35 and 35 mounted in the crankcase and arranged adjacent the ends of the crankshaft, the bearing 35 being arranged in an enlargement 31 adjacent the central aperture at the rear end of crankcase member 30 and the bearing 36, of considerably larger diameter than bearing 35, being mounted in inturned flanges 38 at the rear margin of the body member 29 of the crankcase.

The forward portion of the crankshaft 34 is provided with an enlargement 39 in which is journaled, eccentrically with respect to the axis of the crankshaft, a spindle 40 which projects forwardly beyond the end of the crankshaft to provide a crank pin 4|.

The spindle 40 is journaled adjacent its forward end by a roller bearing 42 arranged at the forward end of the enlarged portion 39 and a ball and race type bearing 43 journaled in the rear end of spindle 40 at the rearwardly disposed end of the enlargement 39 of the crankshaft. The spindle 40 is maintained in position within the bearings 42 and 43 by a shoulder 44 which abuts the forward face of the bearing 43 and by a nut 45 secured to the rear end of the spindle.

The forwardly projecting end 4| of the spindle 40 forms the engine crank pin on which is journaled the annular bearing member 28 connected to the aforesaid connecting rod member 2?, and also journals the annular bearing members 47 and 48 on the connecting rods of the remaining cylinders. Referring also to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that the annular bearing member 41 is offset rearwardly to a slight extent relative to its connecting rod member and that the annular bearing member 48 is offset forwardly to a slight extent relative to the tubular member 21 of its connecting rod. All of the bearing members 28, 41 and 48 are directly journaled on the crank pin M which, in turn, is rotatably journaled relative to the crankshaft 34.

The bearing members 47 and 48, together with a forwardly offset portion of the bearing member 28, are disposed in side-by-side relation on the crank pin 4 i while the rear edge of bearing member 41 abuts a shoulder 49 on the spindle 40 and the rearwardly offset portion of the bearing member 28 abuts another shoulder-portion 50 at its rear edge. The spindle 40 is centrally cored as indicated at 5! and the forward margin is internally threaded as indicated at 52. A plug 53 or driving pin for the valve operating mechanism is received within the threaded portion 52 and abuts the forward margin of the bearing member 28 to maintain the bearing members 28, 41 and 48 in assembled relation. The bearing member 28 is slotted as indicated at 54 and 55 in Fig. 2 partially about its periphery so that any two adjacent connecting rods of the group of three will not come into contact even when the connecting rods are at the minimum relative angle. It is apparent that in the present embodiment of my invention all of the connecting rods bear directly on the engine crank pin and all are of the same length so as to insure uniform compression ratio of all of the cylinders of the engine. The structural details of the connecting rods do not form a part of this invention and they may be of any appropriate type or construction.

During operation of the engine at high speed, the bearing members 28, 47 and 48 of the crank pin 4| and spindle 40 will exert relatively great centrifugal forces on the spindle bearings 42 and 43, it being apparent that the bearing 42 must carry the major portion of this load. In order to distribute this load more uniformly between the bearings 42 and 43 and to generally counterbalance the moving parts of the engine, I have provided a novel distribution of counterweights fully disclosed in my aforesaid co-pending application. I have herein illustrated a portion of such counterweighting, a counterweight being illustrated in the form of the eccentric mass 56 integral with the enlarged portion 39 and dis posed diametrically opposite the bearing 42. Inasmuch as my novel system of counterbalancing is not in itself a part of this invention claimed in this application, the details of the counterweighting system will not be further illustrated or described in this application.

My valve operating mechanism which, together with the parts associated therewith constitutes the subject-matter of this application, is capable of improved operation at relatively high engine speeds approximating 5,000 to 10,000 R. P. M., although I do not limit my invention in this respect. Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 4 to '7 inclusive. the construction and arrangement of the engine valves and operating means therefor will now be described.

The body portion 29 of the crankcase I6 is provided with a transversely disposed supporting partition 51 in which a hollow stub shaft'58 is supported in alignment with the axis of the crankshaft 34. The partition divides the crankcase body 29 into the crankcase properintermediate the partition 51 and bearing 36 and the cam receiving chamber or valve shaft containing chamber 5'1 located intermediate the partition 57 and the front cover member 3|.

7 By providing the partition 51 it will be apparent that I have separated the chamber 5'! from the crankcase proper insofar as there is any possibility of lubricating oil being thrown from the cams and valve shafts contained in chamber 5*! as will be presently apparent. By thus separating the valve shaft chamber from the crankcase, the engine valve operating cams may be thoroughly lubricated without the lubricating oil being thrown to the engine cylinders which otherwise would require the usual four or more sealing rings associated with the pistons 26 to prevent undue escape of the lubricating oil outwardly of the cylinders to the engine combustion chambers. By minimizing the travel of lubricating oil to the cylinders, I am enabled to reduce the number of rings associated with piston 26 tosubstantially one or two in number as indicated at 26 and the frictional loss in the engine is therefore greatly diminished. Furthermore, since the pistons 26 do not have to carry the usual relatively large number of piston rings, these pistons may be made relatively short and therefore of relatively light weight and this is very desirable and beneficial in minimizing the loads on the crank pin 4| clue to the inertia of the moving parts as well as permitting the use of a relatively light weight construction for the connecting rods 2! and their associated bearing members heretofore referred to.

A gear 59 is provided with an integral disc of larger diameter than that of the gear and is journaled upon the stub shaft 58 and maintained in position by means of a bolt 66. This disc 6| is provided with slot-like apertures 63 elongated in a radial direction, one of which is adapted for engagement with the driving pin. 64 projecting from the aforesaid plug 53 threaded into the end of the crank pin 4|.

By means of the driving pin 64 the gear 60 and disc 6! are given equal rotation with the crankshaft, and the slot 63 permits relative movement other than rotation of either the stub shaft 58 or crankshaft 34 and crank pin 4! in the event of deflection of any of these parts. The provision of a plurality of the spaced slots 63 permits the driving pin 64 to be selectively engageable with these slots in order to vary or alter the timing relationship between the crankshaft and the valve driving mechanism. operated by the disc 6|.

A plurality of cam shafts 65, preferably three in number for a three-cylinder radial engine as' illustrated, are journaled in the supporting .partition 51 and the end member 3!, and each cam shaft is provided with a gear 66 arranged in equidistant and equiangular position relative to the axis of the stub shaft 58 and the crankshaft 34. The gears 66 are each of a diameter twice that of gear 59 for the four-stroke cycle'engine illustrated so that each of the cam shafts 65 receives equal rotation in the same direction at one-half the speed of the crankshaft 3.4; By-

driving. allof thecam shafts 65 from a common driving gear .59 andin the same direction. for all of the va-Ivezshafts, I haveavoided the possibility' of acollection of errors which mightotherwise alter the precision .timing where the shafts might be'driven in relatively different directions and from different operating gears.

In order to prevent possibility of the plugs 53 from rotating relative to the crank pin 4| and also for locking the plugs and bearing member 26 with the crank pin, I have provided the snap locking ring 53 best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this ring fitting within a groove formed between the plug, 53 and the forwardly extending hub portion of the bearing member 28. One end of the ring 53 extends radially inwardly as indicated at. 53* this end entering suitable openings provided for the accommodation of the ring end and formed in the crankpinf ll, .plug 53, and bearing member 28 forpreventing relativerotation of thes parts .as-will be apparent from :Fig. 3.

The arrangement of the valveshafts 65 in the chamber 5'! is-such that a line between the axes of two adjacent shafts will be bisected by a line normal thereto and passing through the axis of a valve operating shaft 61 journaled between the cylinder head cover 2| and the top member [5 of a cylinder H. Each valve shaft 65 has four earns 68 secured thereto against relative rotation and these 'cams'are, arranged inpairs on each shaft, one pair. of cams being adapted to operate the intake and exhaust valves of one cylinder While cooperating with a. pair of cams on the next adjacent shaft and the other pair of cams is adapted to cooperate with a pair of cams on the third shaft to operate the intake and exhaust valves of another cylinder.

Each valve operating shaft 61 has an arm 69 fixed thereto which supports a valve at the outer endthereof. The valves 10 form the exhaust valves for the engine cylinders and each cooperateswith' a valve seat insert H provided in the upper portion of the top members l5. The valves 10 cooperate with the valve seatv inserts H to close the exhaust passages 12 provided in the cylinder head covers 2i. Each valve operating shaft-61 is also provided with an operating arm 13 upon the free end of which is disposeda roll 14 adapted to cooperate with the cams 68 fixed to the cam shafts 65.

Each cam upongthe shafts 65 cooperates with a suitably shaped cam provided upon an adjacent shaft sothat both cams remain in contact with roll M at all times. These cams are so shaped that when the cam on one shaft begins to lift the roll 14, the cam surface of the camon the other shaft allows the roll 14 to approach the axis of the latter shaft. In the construction shown in Fig. 6 the cams which open the/valves 70 are in the general form of an involute tooth and the cams which close the valves I0 and cooperate with the first-mentioned cams are essentially circular in outline with a wedge-shaped portion removed therefrom. The cam operating shafts 61 are journaled in aligned recesses 15 and 16 provided in' the contacting faces of the cylinder head covers 2| and top members l5 respectively. The recesses 16 are enlargedas indicated/at 11 for the reception of a sleeve 18 to which is fixed an operating arm 19 for an intake valve 80.

The operating shafts 6! and T8 are teles'coped one within the other so'that one forms-abearing for the otherwhile additional bearings for these operating shafts are provided by the cylinder head covers 2i and top members I5 of the cylinders II. The operating arms 89 and 19 may be provided with annular shoulder portions 8| which cooperate with correspondingly shaped recesses 82 in the cylinder head covers and top members to. prevent axial displacement of the valve operating shafts.

An operating arm 83 is fixed to the valve operating sleeve 18 and the free end of this arm terminates in a roll I4 as previously described. It will be apparent that the arm 83 together with the sleeve or shaft 78 and the arm I9 form a bell crank lever, the lever portions or arms I9 and 83 thereof being spaced axially of the sleeve TI. The cylinder top members I5 and cylinder head covers 2| may be provided with complementary extension members 84 adjacent the ends of the recesses 15 and 16 to provide outboard bearings for the longer operating shafts 61 and 18. The bosses 84 will be different lengths for two of the cylinders and the third cylinder will not require an outboard bearing.

As will be noted in Figs. 1 and 6, the rearwardly disposed pair of cams 68 shown in Fig. I cooperates with a pair of cams on another shaft 65 to. operate the valve means for the cylinder shown in Fig. 1, the valve operating arms 13 and 83 being mounted on the shafts BI and 78 at points adjacent the side of the cylinder head cover 2| as indicated in Fig. l. The valves of another cylinder require shafts of a length indicated in Fig. 6 and the operating arms therefor cooperate with the pair of cams 68 shown in the foremost position in Fig. 1. The cams for operating the valves of the remaining cylinder are not shown in Fig. l but are mounted on the two remaining cam shafts 85 and occupy the intermediate position between the pairs of cams shown on the valve shaft 65. In the case of the last mentioned cylinder the valve shafts will be of an intermediate length and the extension members 84 will terminate at a point indicated by the dot and dash line 85 of Fig. 8. Casing members 86 cover the cored out openings 33 in the crankcase body portion 29 and also cover the valve operating arms I3 and 83. These casing members may be attached to the crankcase portion 29 by screws 81 as indicated in Fig. 6. It will be noted that the openings or slots 33 provide guides for the arms I3 and 83.

The arms I3 and 83 are freely engaged by the cams so that the arms may be withdrawn or assembled into engagement with the cams by a simple outward or inward movement thereof. In Figs. 1 to '7, the cylinders are illustrated as forming a unitary assembly with each valve operating mechanism associated therewith, the cylinder head cover 2| being removable independently of this assembly.

By providing the aforesaid outwardly extending arms 13 and 83 carried by the outer end of the associated cylinder and extending inwardly in the general direction of the cylinder for freely engaging the operating cams 98, each cylinder may expand and contract under temperature variations without binding the operating mecha nism. When such temperature changes take place the various lever arms I3 and 83 merely lightly move radially inwardly or outwardly at the earns 68, the cam operated valve timing being unchanged for all practical purposes and noticeable results in the engine operation.

It will further be apparent that the cams 68 may be located offset from the plane of the cylinder axis, the bell cranks having their lever arms offset in the direction of their pivots provided between the companion bearing portions at the cylinder head and cylinder head cover.

Referringwto Figs. 8 and 9, I have shown a modified form of valve and valve operating mechanism. In this embodiment of my invention the top member I5 of the cylinder II' is provided with an upper surface which lies in a plane perpendicular to the cylinder axis, this surface receiving the cylinder head structure H which is secured thereto. A poppet valve I9 is provided with a hollow stem 93 which is internally threaded to receive the lug 94 of a guide means 95. A look nut 96 may be provided to maintain the lug 94 and stem 93 in locked adjustment. A valve guide 91 is provided to slidably receive the stem 93 and by loosening the nut 93 the valve stem may be rotated on the threaded lug 94 to axially adjust the stem relative to lug 94 and thereby adjust the valve 10' relative to its seat.

A slide member 98 is pivotally connected to the end of operating arm 99 and slidably received within the guide 95. The operating arm 99 is secured to a valve operating shaft 61' to which is also secured the operating arm I3 extending inwardly of the associated cylinder to the valve operating cams 68 substantially in accordance with the prior embodiment. The intake valve associated with cylinder I I is not illustrated although from the teaching of my prior embodiment it will be apparent that this intake valve is operated substantially in accordance with my prior embodiment employing a mechanism of the type illustrated in Fig. .9.

The intake valve is thus provided with a similar guide 95 operated by an arm 99 secured to the sleeve 18' which, in turn, is operated by the inwardly extending lever arm 83' the lower end of which is adaptedfor operation by a pair of cams 68'. In Figs. 8 and 9 the journal for the shafts 81' and I8 is provided by a bracket I89 extending from the cylinder head 2I' and the cooperating bearing cap member II. It will be understood that each cylinder of the engine shown in Fig. 1 may be constructed in accordance with the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 and to avoid duplication I have not illustrated the engine proper in association with the modified embodiment of my invention.

The cam members 68' mounted on the valve shafts 65 are, as before, shaped to afford positive opening and closing movements of the valves associated with the cylinders II and in this instance the cam for opening the valve 78, for example, is essentially wedge-shaped while the cam employed for closing the valve T8 is of circular outline with an arcuate portion removed therefrom. The outlines of the cams 68' are so shaped that as one cam is lifting the operating arm I3 or 83' the other cam allows such lifting movement while maintaining the cam surfaces of both cams in contact with the end of the operating arm.

As in the case of the previous embodiment it will be apparent that the respective pairs of laterally extending valve actuating arms and downwardly extending cam actuated arms form bell crank levers, the component lever arms of each bell crank being spaced axially of the rocking sleeve or shaft to which the pairs of arms are attached.

It will be noted that in Fig. 9 the lever arm 99 is connected by the slide 98 to positively reciprocate the valve stem 93 and to compensate for the variation in distance between the lever support and valve stem axis during reciprocation of the stem and valve. The slide 98 acts substantially along the axis of the valve stem and slides trans- 1 versely to said axis.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the valve operating mechanism may be readily assembled and disassembled as a unitary assembly into engagement with or out of engagement from the operating cams 68 by moving the operating mechanism including arms 13' and 83 in the general direction of the associated cylinder ll, viz., outwardly or inwardly as in the case of the Fig. 1 embodiment. However, in Figs. 8 and 9, the valve operating mechanism for each cylinder may be assembled or disassembled as a unitary assembly without disturbing the associated cylinder since each mechanism may be movedas a unitary assembly with the cylinder head 2|.

When the cylinder head 2! is removed from v the cylinder with the valve operating mechanism,

the valves may then be readily reached from the underside of the cylinder head and the valves unscrewed to release the driving mechanism from the valve stems at the threaded lug 94.

An advantage, in addition to those aforesaid, of my'sliding member 98 resides in facilitating the manufacture and assembly of the valve operating mechanism by providing a self-alignment of the parts without requiring extreme accuracy of machining and location of parts. Thus, the distances between the axes of the valve stems 93 and shafts '61 and 18 may slightly vary since the slide 98 will readily accommodate itself to such variations.

In each embodiment of my invention, the cams for operating the bell crank levers are located laterally adjacent the inner end of the cylinders while the supports for the actuating bell crank levers are spaced circumferentially of the cams, such arrangement being of particular advantage for radially arranged cylinders. In order to efficiently transmit the positive valve movement from the cams, the cam actuated bell crank lever arms I3, 83 and 13', 83' extend upwardly and outwardly from the cams to the bell crank lever supports, the other lever arms 69, 79 or 99, 99' being offset from the respectively connected cam actuated lever arms so as to extend inwardly at the outer cylinder ends from the lever supports to the valves.

The pair of bell crank levers and associated mechanisms for a single cylinder are'claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 726,488 filed May 19, 1934, the'subject application being particularly directed to my valve operating mechanisms for multiple cylinders especially when radially arranged, the drive from the engine to the valve operating mechanisms, the construction and arrangement of the crankcase and cam shaft chamber, and other features noted hereinbefore in the objects and specification of my invention.

'Various modifications and changes will be apparent from the teachings of my invention, as set forth in the appended claims, and it is not my intention to limit my invention to the particular details of construction and operation shown and described for illustrative purposes.

What I claim is:

1. In an engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders radially disposed about said crankshaft, valving means associated with each of said cylinders, a plurality of valve operating shafts having their axes parallel to the crankshaft axis, means for driving said shafts from said crankshaft, and a plurality of means each. driven from pairs of said shafts for operating the.

driving said shafts in the same direction of ro-- tation from said crankshaft, and a pluralityof means each driven from pairs of said shafts for operating the valving means of said cylinders.

3. In an engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders radially disposed about said crankshaft, valving means associated with each of said cylinders, a plurality of valve operating shafts equal in number to the number of said cylinders and having their axes parallel to the crankshaft axis, cams carried by each of said shafts, means for driving said shaft from said crankshaft, and means for operating said valving means including a cam follower associated with each of said cylinders and positioned for opera-- tion by camson a pair of said shafts. 1 4. In an engine having a crankshaft and aplurality of cylindersradially disposed about said crankshaft, valving means associated with each of said cylinders, a plurality of valve operating shafts having their axes parallel to the crankshaft axis, a plurality ofpairs of cams carried by each of said shafts, means-for drivingsaid shafts from said crankshaft, and means for operating said valving means including a plurality of pairs of cam followers, each of said pair of cam followers being positioned for operation by a pair of cams on two adjacent shafts.

5. In an engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders radially disposed about'said crankshaft, valving means associated witheach of said cylinders, a plurality of "valve operating shafts having their axes parallel to the crankshaft axis, a plurality of pairs 'of cams carried by each of said shafts, means for 'drivingsaid shafts from said crankshaft, and means for operating said valvingmeans including a plurality of pairs of cam followers, each of said-pair of cam followers being positioned for operation by a pair of cams on two adjacent shafts, each of said pairs of cam followers being adapted to operate the valving means of one of said cylinders;

6. In an engine having a crankshaft'and a plurality of cylinders radially disposed'about'said crankshaft, valving means associated with each of said cylinders, a plurality of valve'operating shafts having their axes parallel to the crankshaft axis, a plurality of pairs "of oamscarried by each of said shafts, means for driving said shafts from saidcrankshaft, and means for operating said valving means including a plurality of pairs of arms extending outwardly'of the--engine, each pair of said arms having their inner ends positioned between pairs of said shafts, each of said arms being actuated by a pair of cams carried by a pair of said shafts.

'7. In an engine having a crankshaft'and a plurality of cylinders radially disposed about said crankshaft, valving means associated with each of said cylinders, a plurality of valve operating 'sha'fts having their axes-parallel 'to the crankshafts having a gear driven by said pinion, and means operated by said shafts for actuating said valving means.

8. In an engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders radially disposed about said crankshaft, valving means associated with each of said cylinders, a plurality of valve operating shafts having their axes parallel to the crankshaft axis, a disc concentric with said crankshaft,

means for driving said disc from said crankshaft, a pinion driven by said disc, each of said shafts having a gear driven by said pinion whereby said shafts are driven in unison and in the same rotational direction, and means operated by said operating means connected thereto.

10. In a radial engine having a crankshaft provided with a cantilever crank pin, engine valve operating means adapted to be driven from said crank pin, and means for driving said valve operating means including a connection between said crank pin and said valve operating means, said connection being adapted to unrestrictedly accommodate deflection of said crank pin.

11. In a radial engine having a crankshaft provided with a cantilever crank pin, engine valve operating means adapted to be driven from said crank pin, and means for driving said valve operating means including a connection between said crank pin and said valve operating means, said connection being adapted to transfer rotation of said crank pin to said valve operating means and to freely accommodate radial deflection of said crank pin.

12. In an engine having a crankshaft provided with a crank pin, a disc rotatably driven by said crank pin, a gear rotating with said disc, valveshafts drivingly connected with said gear and grouped around the axis of rotation of said gear, cams mounted on said valveshafts, and engine valve operating means driven by pairs of cams on adjacents valveshafts.

13. In a radial engine having a cantilever crank pin carried by the engine crankshaft, a drive pin projecting from the free end of said crank pin, a disc mounted on an axis concentric with the axis of said crankshaft and driven by said drive pin, cam carrying valveshafts grouped around said axis, and engine valve operating means driven by the cams of adjacent valveshafts.

14. In a radial engine having a cantilever crank pin carried by the engine crankshaft, .a drive pin projecting from the free end of said crank pin, a disc mounted on an axis concentric with the axis of said crankshaft and driven by said drive pin, and engine valve operating means driven by said disc, said drive pin having radial movement relative to said disc.

15. In an engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders radially disposed about said crankshaft, each of said cylinders having a plurality of valving means associated therewith, camshafts equal in number to the number of said cylinders, means for driving said camshafts from said crankshaft, and means driven by pairs of said camshafts for operating valving means for each of said cylinders.

16. In an engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders radially disposed about said crankshaft, each of said cylinders having a plurality of valving means associated with the outer ends thereof, a plurality of valveshafts equal in: number to the number of said cylinders and positioned adjacent the inner ends of said cylinders,

means for mounting said valveshafts with their axes parallel to the crankshaft axis, means for driving said valveshafts in unison from said crankshaft, a plurality of bell crank levers each having an arm thereof extending generally inwardly of the engine for actuation by a pair of said valveshafts, means for supporting said bell crank levers, each of said bell crank levers having its other arm operably connected to one of said valving means.

17. In an engine having a crankshaft provided with a cantilever crank pin and a plurality of multiple valve controlled cylinders radially disposed about said crankshaft, a plurality of valveshafts grouped in angularly spaced relation adjacent the projecting end of said crank pin, said valveshafts having their axes parallel with the crankshaft axis, means for driving said valveshafts from said crank pin, a plurality of bell crank levers adapted to positively operate the valves of said cylinders, said levers each having one arm thereof operably connected to one of said valves, said levers having their other arms grouped in pairs spaced about the axis of rotation of said crankshaft and extending generally outwardly therefrom, the inner ends of said pairs of, arms lying between a pair of said valveshafts for actuation thereby, and means for pivotally supporting said levers with the levers having said pairs of arms pivoting on a common axis.

18. In an engine having a crankshaft provided with a cantilever crank pin and a plurality of multiple valve controlled cylinders radially disposed about said crankshaft, a plurality of valveshafts grouped in angularly spaced relation adjacent the projecting end of said crank pin, said valveshafts having their axes parallel with the crankshaft axis, a plurality of cooperating pairs of cams carried by adjacent valveshafts, means for driving said valveshafts in unison and in the same rotational direction from said crank pin, a plurality of bell crank levers adapted to positively operate the valves of said cylinders, said levers each having one arm thereof operably connected to one of said valves, said levers having their other arms grouped in pairs spaced about said valveshafts and extending outwardly therefrom, the inner ends of the last said arms each lying between one of said cooperating pairs of cams for operation thereby.

19. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders, a plurality of valve operating shafts each carrying a plurality of cams more than two in number, means for driving said shafts from said crankshaft, valving means for said cylinders, and means for operating said valving means including a plurality of pairs of cam followers, each pair being adapted for operation by an associated pair of valve operating shafts, each cam follower of each of said pairs having a cam operated portion positioned between and operated by a pair of cams carried by a pair of valve operating shafts associated therewith, at least one .of the cams carried by the valve operating shafts of each of said associated pairs cooperating with a cam carried by another of said valve operating shafts for operating a cam follower of another of said airs.

20. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a plurality .of cylinders, a plurality of valve operating shafts each carrying a plurality of cams more than two in number, means for driving said shafts from said crankshaft, valving means for said cylinders, means for operating said valving means including a plurality of pairs of cam followers, each pair being adapted for operation by an associated pair of valve operating shafts, each cam follower of each of said pairs having a cam operated portion positioned between and operated by a pair of cams carried by a pair of valve operating shafts associated therewith, at least one of the cams carried by the valve operating shafts of each of said associated pairs cooperating with a cam carried by another of said valve operating shafts for operating a cam follower of another of said pairs, and means for mounting the cam followers of said pairs on a common axis of pivotal support.

21. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders, a plurality of valve operating shafts corresponding in number to the number of said cylinders and each carrying a plurality of cams more than two in number, means for driving said shafts from said crankshaft, valving means for said cylinders, and means for operating said valving means including a plurality of pairs of cam followers, each pair being adapted for operation by an associated pair of valve operating shafts, each cam follower of each of said pairs having a cam operated portion positioned between and operated by a pair of cams carried by a pair of valve operating shafts associated therewith, at least one of the cams carried by the valve operating shafts of each of said associated pairs cooperating with a cam carried by another of said valve operating shafts for operating a cam follower of another of said pairs.

22. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of radially arranged cylinders, a plurality of valve operating shafts having their axes disposed at substantially equal distances from the axis of rotation of said crank shaft each carrying a plurality of cams more than two in number, means for driving said shafts from said crankshaft, valving means for said cylinders, and means for operating said valving means including a plurality of cam followers each adapted for operation by a pair of cams on adjacent valveshafts.

23. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders, a plurality of valve operating shafts each carrying a plurality of cams more than two in number, means for driving said shafts from said crankshaft, valving means for said cylinders, means for operating said valving means including a plurality of cam followers each adapted for operation by a pair of cams on adjacent valveshafts, and means for operably positioning said cam followers in paired groups, said cams of each valve operating shaft cooperating with pairs of cams on shafts adjacent thereto for operating a plurality of said paired groups of cam followers.

24. In an engine, a crankshaft having a crank connected at one end with said crankshaft and having its opposite end extending cantilever-like, a shaft concentric with the axis of rotation of said crankshaft, means for driving said shaft from said crank at the same rotational speed as that of said crankshaft, a driving pinion'on said shaft, a plurality of gears driven by said pinion, a shaft for each of said gears, means for mounting said shafts for rotation about parallel axes, and engine valve operating means driven by said shafts.

25. In an engine, a crankshaft having a crank connected at one end with said crankshaft and having its opposite end extending cantilever-like, a shaft concentric with the axis of rotation of said crankshaft, means for driving said shaft from said crank at the same rotational speed as that of said crankshaft, a driving pinion on said shaft, a plurality of gears driven by said pinion, a shaft for each of said gears, means for mounting said shafts for rotation about parallel axes, and engine valve operating means driven by said shafts, said shaft driving means including means accommodating deflection of said crank relative to said shaft.

26. In an engine having a crankshaft provided with a cantilever crank pin and a plurality of valve controlled cylinders radially disposed about said crankshaft, a crankcase, means providing hearings in said crankcase for journalling said crankshaft, said bearing means being confined to one end of said crankcase, the other end of said crankcase being partitioned to provide a valve operating chamber, a plurality of valve operating means including actuating members having follower portions thereof operably'disposed in said chamber, a plurality of actuators operably disposed in said chamber in operative engagement with the follower portions of said actuating members, and means for drivingly connecting said actuators with said crankshaft.

ROGER K. LEE.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,058,242. October 20, 1936.

ROGER K. LEE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, second column, line 23, claim 5, for "shaft" read shafts; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of June, A. D. 1957.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

